Hyperbole often runs rampant in sports. After all, hype is in the word. We’re guilty of it. We love an event, especially when it carries significance or importance. Both are welcomed.

On Friday night at Honda Center, the Ducks will host the Kings in what will be the most important contest ever played during the regular season between the Southern California hockey rivals.

That’s hyperbole, but think long and hard and you’ll find it is true. Take the word of someone that has been around the Kings for four decades and watched the then-Mighty Ducks plop down into Orange County in 1993 and nudge their way into the Southern California sports landscape.

“I really can’t remember a game with the importance of points to both teams,” said Jim Fox, a former Kings right wing and their television analyst for the last 28 years. “I remember some spoiler situations both ways, but not where both teams are kind of uncertain. Could be in, could be out, for both of them.”

Only Colorado threatens to disrupt the postseason plans for either as Dallas is a longshot, sitting three points out with just three games left to play. But the Stars do remain alive, so there remains plenty of work for both teams to do over the season’s final week in order to claim a spot.

The Kings have the leg up, but this is a game both teams need to have. Both, of course, can’t be victorious. But in terms of single games played, there hasn’t been one that carried as much meaning since Game 7 of the 2014 Western Conference semifinals.

It remains the only playoff series between the Ducks and Kings. On the eve of this 137th regular season collision between the teams, Brian Hayward is qualified to offer a second opinion. Hayward has been the Ducks’ television analyst since their inception.

“Other than when they’ve met in the playoffs, this is the most important regular season meeting between these two teams ever,” said Hayward, a longtime NHL goalie. “Because it could be the game.

“The Ducks know they have to have more points than everyone else because they’re behind in ROWs (regulation and overtime wins). There’s a lot at stake in this game. It’s huge.”

It would be more of surprise if only 60 minutes were needed to reach a result. Three of the four meetings between the Kings and Ducks this season have been decided by one goal, with overtime and a shootout settling two of those. An empty-net goal made a Jan. 13 contest won by the Ducks a two-goal difference.

To get to this point, the Kings and Ducks have had their share of surges and stumbles as they’ve fought through notable injuries and inconsistency in their play.

The Kings were a streaky group in the first half, while also dealing with the extended loss of potent goal scorer Jeff Carter. Lately, they’ve been unable to put any kind of streak together in alternating losses and wins over their last 12 games.

As he prepared for a critical home game against Arizona, Kings defenseman Alec Martinez cautioned that they couldn’t begin to focus on the Ducks with a game against the Coyotes – who’ve been a much better team over the second half – that was just as important.

“I think when you’re in a tight race like this, it’s real easy to look at all the games you have left,” Martinez said. “And that can get overwhelming.”
Anaheim Ducks left wing Nick Ritchie (37) fights with Los Angeles Kings left wing Kyle Clifford (13) during the first period of a NHL hockey game at Staples Center on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

The Ducks, who were in a 91-point tie with the Kings before their rivals took the ice Thursday against Arizona, have had their own issues to sort out. While they gained five out of a possible eight points on their recent road trip, the quality of their play wasn’t playoff-worthy.

It ended with a regulation loss to lowly Vancouver, a team that was missing several of its regulars. And while Ducks coach Randy Carlyle did not want to use the word frustration, that’s a natural feeling to have. “We just don’t feel that we’ve played enough consistently to the level we’re capable of,” he said.

“Most of it’s mental,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said, offering a reason why. “You have to mentally be able to control the grind of a season. And you’re at the time of year where we’re grinding. We’re pedaling to get in. Every game is really important. Every day. You don’t get days off.

“And that’s the hardest thing this time of year brings. That grind of a season is now on your back and now you’ve got five games left.”

The Kings might be the type of opponent the Ducks need to snap them back into desperation mode. Their brand of heavy hockey over years – most notably through former coach Darryl Sutter – is something that often brings out of the best in them.

“Nothing’s for free against them,” Ducks winger Andrew Cogliano said. “I’ve felt like that the last seven years I’ve been here. They’re a team that makes you earn everything. At the end of the day, you’ll get to see individually how you have to prepare yourself to play a 60-minute game the right way.

“And if you do that, you’ll have a chance to win. If you don’t, you’ll lose. I think that’s as basic as you can put it.”

The last time the Kings and Ducks both missed the postseason was 2004. They’ve traded great success since, with the Ducks capturing their only Stanley Cup in 2007 and five straight Pacific Division titles, while the Kings have one-upped them in hoisting the Cup in 2012 and 2014.

“I think it’s a great rivalry already,” Hayward said. “The thing I find is I have friends that are Kings fans. Most of my friends are Ducks fans. It just boosts it. It’s not like a playoff series but it’s the next best thing. That’s when the passion really comes out of the fan bases.”

Count on many of the Kings fans making the trip to Anaheim. Fox said the game being on a Friday night this late in the season will mean that many will have planned well ahead to attend.